1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information recording medium manufacturing device, an information recording medium, methods thereof, and a computer program. More specifically, the present invention relates to an information processing device, an information recording medium manufacturing device, an information recording medium, and methods thereof, and also a computer program, which realize a strict management arrangement of content codes to be recorded in an information recording medium along with content as a content usage control program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of software data, such as audio data like music and so forth, image data like movies and so forth, game programs, various types of application programs and so forth (hereafter referred to as “content”) can be stored as digital data in recording media, for example, Blu-ray discs (Registered Trademark) which employ blue laser, or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), MD (Mini Disc), and CD (Compact Disc). In particular, Blu-ray discs (Registered Trademark) which employ blue laser are high-density recording-capable disks, and can record massive amounts of picture contents and the like as high-image-quality data.
Digital content is stored in such various types of information recording mediums (recording media) so as to be provided to users. Users reproduce and use the content on a reproduction device such as a PC (Personal Computer), disk player, etc., owned by the user.
Generally, the distribution right and so forth of many contents such as music data, image data, and so forth, is held by the creator or vendor thereof. Accordingly, at the time of distribution of content, an arrangement is normally implemented wherein certain restrictions on usage are laid down, i.e., usage of content is permitted only for authorized users, and unauthorized reproduction and the like is prevented.
With digital recording devices and recording media, recording and reproduction can be repeated without deterioration in image or audio for example, and problems are occurring such as distribution of illegally copied contents over the Internet, distribution of so-called bootleg edition disks of contents copied onto CD-Rs or the like, usage of copied contents stored on hard disks of PCs and the like, in proliferation.
Large-capacity recording media such as DVDs, recording media using blue laser which have been developed in recent years, and so forth, are capable of recording great amounts of data, e.g., one to several movies, as digital information on a single disk. The ability to record picture information and the like as digital information makes preventing unauthorized copies to protect copyright holders an even more important issue. Various techniques have been implemented as of recent for preventing unauthorized copying to digital recording devices and recording media, in order to prevent such unauthorized copying of digital data.